Love Takes Time
by Dakumisutoresu
Summary: Our love will prevail, I just know that it can ... But yet, we're living a lie ... Nobody knows about our marriage and we're not allowed to be together, but ... I love you so, so much ... But why is my heart breaking every time we have to hide? I just want to scream! Someday, we'll be able to love freely ... I hold hope for it.
1. Dear Luna (1)

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own any rights to Sailor Moon nor its characters. I was nonexistent when it came out, so it's impossible to. Anyway, Naoko Takeuchi owns all the rights to Sailor Moon.**

 _Dear Luna,_

 _I'm scared for my dear husband. It's been weeks, even months since I've last seen her. I wish that I was able to communicate with her somehow and vice versa, but they won't allow any type of communication between those here and those with Saniya. My nerves are aflamed with worry for her wellbeing from all the whispers around the palace of her death. All I want to do is sob into my bosom and die at the thought of my beloved no longer being amongst the living. I need her right now; I need to see her midnight blue eyes looking into mine, I need her to laugh at my clumsy ways, I need her to hold me tight and tell me that everything's ok, I need her to whisper sweet nothings into my ears while we lay in the meadows and she plays with my hair, and most of all I need_ _ **her**_ _. I'm driving myself mad with trying to keep faith in her return. I curse this wretched war for taking her from me so soon after our marriage. I just want it to all be over already and to have her lying beside me right now. I know that I may sound selfish right now, but I can't help it – all I want is my husband home, safe and sound. I will not rest nor will I eat till she's back in my arms soon. I'm quite terrified of her possible demise._

 _I pray to Selene and the stars to watch over Saniya for me._

 _Bless it be,_

 _Serenity_


	2. Homecoming

_**A special thank you to Sunny the Pervy for the ring set and necklace featured on the cover of this fic, as well as the 'red string of fate' ring idea.**_

Serenity fiddled with the ring on her right pinky finger, nibbling at her bottom lip as she stared out of the window at the central fountain.

 _Please let Saniya be safe …_

"Sere! Come on! We've got all sorts of dresses to sew up for the upcoming festival! We don't have that much time!" cried a shrill voice from the other side of her and her twin sister's dress shop.

The blonde beauty stopped fiddling with her ring and turned around to face her identical twin. "I'm sorry, Eve, I just haven't been feeling well today."

Maeve stopping hemming a pale blue/gold dress to look up at her twin and got up from her perch with a sigh. "The war will be over enough, Sere, I'm sure of it. Then we all can try to snag a hot man from the army and get married – happily ever after, " she chirped, grabbing a a basket from a nearby table.

"Here – we need some more thread from Malee; we're running out of them with the amount of dresses we have to make before next week."

Maeve handed her sister the basket and embraced her. "Everything will be fine. I swear on my bow, " she reassured Serenity before pulling away.

Serenity smiled at her twin. "I'm so glad to have you, Eve. I wouldn't know what to do without you, " she enthused, grabbing her cloak and made to the door.

"Hey! What can I say? We are one and the two!" called Maeve after her shorter twin.

Serenity giggled, walking out of the shop at the same time a trumpet sounded. Her eyes widened at the sound of the trumpet, knowing what it meant as several people sprinted towards the sound.

"They're home! They're home!" bellowed the crowd as the Kinmokian army soon flooded down the streets.

Serenity sped over to the growing crowd, jumping up and down to try and get a peek of her husband in hopes of her being alive still.

"Look! Look! It's the Starlights!"

"My, don't they look much more fierce than before."

"Did they change their hair?"

"Healer, over here!"

Serenity bounced up and down still to try to catch a glimpse of that infamous dark blue hair. A gasp fled from her lips upon seeing the face that she was looking for.

Tears almost welled up within her eyes at the sight of her lover. "Saniya …" she whispered, her heart overflowing with emotional at seeing her love – safe and sound.

Midnight blue eyes met hers in a cold stare. A shiver ran down her back as her spouse stared her down with the eyes of her senshi namesake, Sailor Star Fighter, instead of the eyes of her lover.

Then Saniya disappeared with her partners, Yaffa and Thi, into the army that they had with them.

Serenity stopped hopping and looked down at the basket in her grasp.

 _I guess she doesn't want to see me yet …_

The blonde beauty held back a sob as she resumed her journey to Marlee's parlor, trying to get Saniya's cold gaze out of her mind.

 _4 hours later_

"Whew! We really did have a long day today, didn't we?!" exclaimed Maeve with a sigh of relief.

Serenity giggled at her sister's antics after they closed up their shop. "What are you doing for the rest of the night, Eve?"

"Probably going to Marlee's parlor to get drunk. I really need a drink after today's events. We had so many dresses to do today that my hands might fall off, " the bow-haired twin rattled on, wrapping her shawl around herself some more. "What about you? You coming with me to try to find yourself a potential suitor?"

Serenity flushed slightly after her sister winked at and nudged her with her hip. Her eyes downcast as her mind conjured up an image of Saniya.

Shaking her head, Serenity replied, "No, I think I'll just go and brew myself some tea. I'm still feeling quite bad lately."

Cerulean eyes looked into hers with concern and prodded, "Do you need me to go home with you? I don't want you to faint somewhere or anything."

The other blonde grasped her sister's hands, giving them a squeeze and forced a smile. "No, it's okay. I promise you this. I'll be able to make it home on my own. Go ahead and have fun, " Serenity reassured her, even though she felt a bit … feverish and the chill in the air wasn't making it better.

Maeve's eyes scanned her sister's face closely, then she took her into a tight embrace. "I'll give the girls your best wishes and bring you home some of Rayen's special brew to restore your body's health, " she promised.

Pulling away from their embrace, they bid each other farewell and went their separate ways after Maeve had her sister swear to go straight home.

Serenity wrapped her shawl around her small form, making her way back to her and Maeve's cabin. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on edge from the feeling of being watched.

Stopping in a clearing and looking around, the blonde beauty didn't see anyone or anything around and continued onward to her destination.

Just as she was passing a alleyway, Serenity found herself being grasped and pulled into said alleyway. Her mouth opened to let out a cry for help, but a gloved hand soon covered it so her instincts took over to struggle against her captor when …

"Is that one way to greet your husband after she's been away for several, _**long**_ months without her loving wife? I'm quite hurt by that, " teased a familiar, creamy voice into her ear.

Serenity stopped struggling, her eyes widening upon spinning around to confirm her suspicions.

There stood none other than Saniya, who was still henshined while wearing a cloak. Her short locks still framing her face in her infamous finger locks style. But the biggest indicator of her lover's identity was the golden wedding band on her left pinky finger that held a identical ruby atop as Serenity's silver one.

Tears welled up within sapphire eyes as Serenity flung herself into her love's arms with a cry.

"Saniya!"

Saniya held in a giggle, stroking her hysterical wife's back. "Ssshhh … I'm home … ssshhh …"

Serenity clung harder to her husband's cloak, sobs overtaking her heated body. "Oh, Saniya, I was so worried. There were whispers of your death everywhere. I didn't know what to do. I almost died after hearing about your possible death, " she whimpered, allowing the other woman to rock her within her strong, loving arms.

"I know, Odango, I know. Sshhh, I'm home now, " cooed the dark-haired beauty, eyes scanning the area outside of the alleyway for anyone who'll intrude on the young couple's reunion.

"I thought you were gone and it just about broke me, especially since we didn't get a chance to really enjoy our marriage, " she sobbed into her lover's bosom. "Then how cold you were to me earlier when I seen you. It almost made me sick to my stomach at the thought of you no longer thinking of me as your love."

Pushing her gently at arms' length, Saniya eyed her lover evenly. "Odango, you know very well that I couldn't act the way I wanted to. No matter how strongly I felt, I couldn't just run over to you and scoop you into my arms and kiss the living daylights out of you. It's against -."

"… the rules. I know that, Saniya, but I'm sick and tired of the deceit and hiding. We've been living a lie for the past four years. I just can't stand not being able to claim you as my own, " lamented Serenity, tears still flowing from her eyes.

Saniya dropped her hands to her sides as she hissed, "Don't you think I know that?! I feel the same exact way, but we must wait for someday when we'll be able to love freely without fear of public execution or exile. We've discussed this several times over the years. You _know_ the rules."

Serenity looked away solemnly. "I know that you, Yaffa, and Thi are forbidden to love in any shape or form in fear of it interfering with your duty to Kinmoku and its rule family, but I can't help how I just want to scream from wanting to just be able to call you my husband."

The dark-haired beauty looked into her eyes evenly, cupping the other girl's face within her hands. "Well, then, say it. Say those magic words that I've been telling you that you can say to me and I'll do it. I'll resign from my duty for you. I'll clip my wings and run away with you so that our love could prosper, " she declared firmly, her eyes burning with a fire that had Serenity lost in them.

Serenity nibbled on her bottom lip nervously, shivers going up and down her spine as her body started to tremble and break out into a sweat. "I … I … can't ask … that … of

… y-y-oh …" she broke off, losing consciousness as Saniya frantically called her name and shook her.


	3. Dear Luna (2)

_• Aine - Ami  
• Rayen - Rei  
• Maeve - Minako  
• Malee - Makoto  
• Maren - Michiru  
• Heaven - Haruka  
• Hena - Hotaru  
• Scilla - Setsuna_

 _• Kala - Kakyuu  
• Saniya - Seiya  
• Thi - Taiki  
Yaffa - Yaten_

* * *

 _Dear Luna,_

 _It's been 2 weeks and there are whispers still of Saniya's death. I don't know whether or not to believe it, but … I can't eat nor sleep with the thought of her no longer breathing._

 _My heart hurts at thinking about her lying somewhere, dead, her brilliant blue eyes staring at nothing … I must stop this madness gnawing my brain at not knowing whether or not she's safe!_

 _All I want to do is scream and cry whenever someone asks me if I'm ok. I just want to shout at them, especially at Rayen and Maeve, whenever they suggest that I settle with a male suitor. I'm married to the sun of my sky! The stars to my moon! I'd never settle for someone else, even if she were dead. My heart, body, mind, & soul belong purely to Saniya. I don't care about the fact that she and I could never have children; she's the only one for me and I for her. _

_I feel my health draining with all this worrying and working myself to death lately. Maeve has tried having me go see Aine, but I refused. I deserve to be ill right now if my husband is … gone. Then I won't have to worry too long about people pestering me to marry or bare some children._

 _I can't ever live without my starlight, even if she wished otherwise. I can't go on without her. My heart would gradually turn cold and myself would turn into stone. I don't know how much longer that I'll have before my illness takes me, but hopefully Saniya is waiting for me wherever she is._

 _Saniya, can you hear me? Do you even miss me? Was I your last thought when you perished at the frontlines? I hope that you didn't suffer when you left everything behind._

 _Saniya … I miss you … My heart aches for you … Please let there be a sign that you're ok soon. I'm going mad and my health is waning._

 _Please Selene … I beg of you – bring my husband home in one piece._

 _Forever waiting for my shooting star,_

 _Serenity_


	4. Take Care of You

Sky blue eyes fluttered open when a brilliant light streamed in through the window.

A moan escaped from petal soft lips as their owner sat up, holding the wet rag to her forehead before it fell off.

Serenity scanned the room with her eyes, trying to catch a glimpse of her spouse.

"Saniya! Saniya! Saniya! Saniya!"

After a few more calls for her love, she let out a disappointed sigh and leaned against her bed.

"Saniya ..."

"Did you call for me, my light?" cooed a soothing voice from the corner of the room.

Serenity shot her head up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You're back! I can't believe that you're back!" she cried.

Saniya made her way over to her lover with a cup of tea. Pressing her cheek against hers, she whispered in her ear with a smile, "Did you really think Id go down that easily?"

The petite blonde cupped her lovers cheeks within her hands, stroking them with her thumbs. "You truly are alive. I almost lost faith in you with all the whispers of your death going around here, " she breathed before a cough wretched itself from her throat.

Saniya brought the tea up to her lips and took a swig. Bringing her and Serenity's lips together, she eased the substance down her loves throat through her lips.

Serenity's eyes fluttered close as their kiss deepened, her hands wounding themselves into dark locks.

The kiss lasted for a good few minutes before the dark-haired warrior drew herself away with a smirk on her face.

"Is that enough proof that I'm still very much alive?" she hummed as her wife nodded. Her face soon turned serious, her hands coming up to cup Serenity's face.

"But you've obviously haven't been taking care of yourself Why did you allow yourself to fall ill? "

The petite blonde stared up at her spouse with watering eyes. "Because I couldn't stand the thought of you not walking on this planet anymore I just wanted you back and for us to be able to -, " she stopped midsentence to cough several times.

Saniya repeated her earlier action with the tea, embracing the ill woman after their second kiss. "You shouldn't have allowed yourself to fall ill for my sake. You know that it'll break me not being able to take care of you, " she chastised.

"I know. But I wasn't thinking straight ... I was mourning about your possible demise. I couldn't stand the thought of being a widow so early into our marriage, Serenity sniffled into her shoulder, fingers interlaced with the bluenette's.

The warrior allowed herself to melt. "You shouldn't worry about such a thing, my light. You know that I'll fight through Hell itself in order to bring myself back to you. Always have and always will fight to come back to you, " she declared, kissing her forehead.

Serenity opened her mouth after their embrace was broken, "Sani ..." A finger silenced her protests.

"Ssh, my love ... Save your strength; you need it, " cooed Saniya as she reached for her tea.

"But -."

"Ssh, you need to rest, especially after what you went through for the past few months, " said the Starlight before taking another swig of tea and bringing their lips together once more.

Serenity allowed herself to visibly relax within her lover's arms, relishing in the feel of her lips against hers after so many months without them.

Pulling away, the dark-haired beauty reached out to caress her loves face when a sound fluttered to her ears. She sprung to her feet and fluttered back over to where her cloak sat.

"Where are you going?" asked Serenity, watching her love be replaced with the warrior in a flash of light before she pulled on her cloak.

"We have company, " explained Saniya, tugging her hood on to cover her face.

The young blonde opened her mouth to question her lover about what she meant when Maeve's voice sounded from down below them.

"Sere! I'm back! I got you some remedies from Aine and Rayen to help you with your illness!"

Serenity's eyes almost bulged out of her head after hearing that, her eyes fluttering over to her husband's as she hastened her departure.

"Will I see you again soon?" she whispered low enough for just Saniya to hear.

Saniya, now ready to depart, made her way over to her wife to cup her face within her gloved hands once more. "I don't know ..." she muttered, caressing her cheeks with her thumbs, "But I'll find you and we'll spend our time together, OK?"

"Yes ..."

A passionate kiss was shared between the two lovers as they poured their feelings into it.

"SERENITY! ARE YOU OK?!" bellowed Maeve, sounding closer.

Saniya pulled away from the kiss, trailing a thumb across Serenity's lips. "I love you, Light of My Life."

"I love you too, My Star to My Moon."

The dark-haired beauty moved away and rushed over to the window, blowing Serenity a kiss before leaping out.

Maeve entered the room just seconds after the bluenette leapt out of the window. "Sere, how are you feeling? Are you ok?" she bombarded her with questions as she fussed over her twin.

"I'm ok. Just a bit dizzy. I probably need some more rest, " Serenity stated, drinking the rest of the tea that Saniya left her.

Maeve hollered as she slammed the window close, "Why do you have the window open when you're sick then? Are you trying to catch your death?"

The other twin shrugged and muttered, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"No worries. These remedies should work for you, " reassured the seamstress, handing her a cup of odd smelling liquid that she downed with a cringe.

I wish to see you soon Saniya Even if it's just in my dreams she thought to herself, her mind drifting peacefully with thoughts of Saniya.


	5. Dear Luna (3)

_Dear Luna,_

 _I'm so glad that Selene brought back my Saniya! May the stars smile down on her for answering my pleas! I don't know what I would have done if Saniya hadn't returned to me. I surely would've joined her._

 _I can't ever live without Saniya – she's the stars to my moon, the love of my life, and my eternal flame that keeps me going. I don't care whether or not she is someone that I'm not meant to be with – she loves me and I love her. I'll fight for our marriage, even if I have to leave Evey._

 _Saniya wants to clip her wings for me and for us to run away, but …. I just can't ask that of her; I_ _ **never**_ _could ask that of her. Being a Sailor Starlight is her calling, always have been. It runs in her blood just as much as it does in Yaffa's and Thi's. They're meant to protect Kinmoku and Princess Kala, even if it means ..._

 _No, I mustn't think like that! I have faith in my love with Saniya! We'll be able to conquer over anything that comes our way. It doesn't matter that I feel absolutely miserable about being unable to love Saniya publicly like I want to. It doesn't matter that it's tempting to run away with her so that we could love freely. I'm her_ _ **wife**_ _and I'm proud to be wedded to her, even if it's not publicly known._

 _I just hope that she and I won't have to keep up our façade forever, or it just might destroy us …_

 _Please Selene, let Saniya and I be able to be together publicly soon. I hate how we're forbidden because of the stupid rules that hang over all of us. I truly, deeply love Saniya with all my heart and want nothing more than to have her arms around me all the time and be able to have her lips against me whenever I want to._

 _I just hate not being stuck … but maybe things will get better soon …_

 _May we be blessed with a miracle,_

 _Serenity_


	6. So Soon?

"It's nice that you all managed to grace us with your presence today, Starlights, " was the first thing Fighter heard from King Hyousuke as soon as she entered the throne room.

"Especially you, Fighter, " added Queen Mao, eyeing the dark-haired woman with her golden eyes. "Why did it take you so long to arrive? Are you falling ill?"

Resisting the urge to swear under her breath, Fighter joined her companions in their current kneeling position in front of the royal family. "I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience, my lady. I got caught up with checking on our injured in the clinic, " she stated and bowed her head to show respect for the royal couple.

The king hummed, "That is quite gracious of you, Fighter. That's why you're our best general in the entire kingdom. Surely we wouldn't have won without you or your colleagues. Am I right?" He addressed his question to his wife and the servants within the room, earning a few nods.

Queen Mao, however, snapped, "But that doesn't excuse her for being late to this very important meeting regarding their homecoming banquet! She must learn how to refrain from being so reckless!"

King Hyousuke stroked his bread thoughtfully. "You do have a point, my dear, but …" he turned his brown gaze onto Mao, "they deserve time to themselves, love. They have been away from home for practically a year at least. The least we could do is allow them downtime before we send them back out."

Maker lifted her head to look at the royal couple. "Your Highness, if you don't mind my bewilderment, what do you mean by 'sending' us back out? I thought that we collected enough intel and rid the kingdom of our enemies."

He gave a nod. "That is true, but our insiders have notified us of our enemy plotting to try and get revenge against us once again. They're not quite happy about you three overthrowing them, so now they're looking for ways to retaliate."

"When shall we leave then?" questioned Healer, her feline-like eyes piercing into the king with their intensity.

"In 3-4 days. The sooner, the better – we mustn't wait any longer than that in case they feel the need to retaliate against us very soon, " stated the orange-haired queen, casting her eyes upon Fighter as if daring her to protest.

 _I have to leave Serenity again? I can't believe that I have to …. And so soon? Why can't we just be alone for much longer than a few days at a time nowadays? I'm always being sent away and she -._

"Fighter?" Maker's slightly deep voice cut into the other woman's thoughts like a knife, causing her to nearly jolt.

"Yes?"

"What do you have to say about all of this?" asked the red-haired monarch, eyeing her evenly.

With everyone's eyes on her, the bluenette warrior gave a bowed her head. "As you wish, Your Majesty. We shall leave promptly in 3 days, " she said, feeling sick to her stomach about having to break this news to a terribly ill Serenity.

"Great! That'll be the day your banquet shall be held!" exclaimed Queen Mao, a smile spreading across her face.

"But I thought you said that it was to celebrate our homecoming, not our departure, " pointed out Maker, confusion apparent on her face.

"It is a little of both, Maker. It's quite important to give the kingdom something to -."

"Mama? Papa?" called a small voice from beside Queen Mao's throne.

The queen reached for the toddler being held within one of the servants' arms. "Oh, Kakyuu-hime. I'm right here, my dear. Come to momma …"

"You three are dismissed to do whatever you plan to do today, but please no sexual rendezvouses or anything that goes against the Starlight code of conduct. Understand?" bellowed the king after the queen had disappeared, narrowing his eyes at the Starlights.

"As you wish, " they responded in unison, giving one last bow before taking their exit.

Fighter wandered through the gardens, her thoughts racing.

 _I can't believe that I have to leave her so soon … Especially when she's so ill … I must see her_ _ **now**_ _!_

Racing to her room for her cloak, the dark-haired woman waited till it was dark once more outside before disappearing into the night in search of her love.

 _Please, stars above, let her not catch her death over this … Please let her ask me to clip my wings for her, so we can run away to somewhere far from here. I don't care where as long as I have her with me …_

She was unaware of the pair of eyes watching her departure from a distance. Amusement bubbled up within the person as they made a note to question her later, or better …


	7. Dear Luna (4)

_Dear Luna,_

 _Evey's been crowding me like a mother hen since I've fallen ill with the common cold. She's been drowning me with lots of tea and trying to bake me beneath millions of blankets. She even almost scorched me to death with mama's famous soup earlier this morning by tripping over her own two feet amidst trying to balance that_ _ **and**_ _another pot of tea on her way up the stairs._

 _Oh bless her heart for trying to take care of me, but I really do hold hope that this illness leave me before she makes my daring husband into a widow by accident._

 _Speaking of my husband, I truly do wish that I wasn't so ill to be able to seek her out tonight. We're supposed to be celebrating her return from that dreadful mission of hers, not separated because of me stupidly falling ill. Leave it to me to be ill when she does finally return home to me. I've missed her so much and want to show her how much. It's been so long since she and myself have been together like_ _ **that**_ _. I'll make everything up to her when I get better, for sure. However, for now, I just have to settle for Evey's pestering and waiting for Saniya to come see me (hopefully) soon if she isn't too busy._

 _My eyes are getting heavy … it must be the medicine that Evey got from Aine for me … I shall rest my eyes in hopes of having the first restful sleep in a long time …_

 _May Selene watch over me and my loved ones tonight,_

 _Serenity_


	8. Heated Tears

Midnight blue eyes scanned their surroundings with the precision of a predator. When the last light extinguished from inside a nearby residence, Fighter adjusted her hood and rose to her full height.

 _Hopefully, her sister is asleep already._

Tugging at her cloak on last time, the starlight leapt over to her love's window and eased right on through into the room.

Her eyes landed on her wife's sleeping form on top the cot she was lying on. The sight of Serenity's angelic face made her heart melt.

 _She looks so sweet right now …_

Taking a moment to ease the window closed, she moved over to Serenity's cot to lie beside her. Her arms spooned the petite woman's body against hers in a lover's embrace.

Her lips grazed her cheek in a ghost of a kiss, drifting over to the corner of her mouth.

"I've missed you, Odango, " she whispered into the side of her mouth, pecking her lips. Her free hand came up to thread through her wife's golden locks.

A sigh was heard from Serenity's lips as the golden beauty burrowed herself into the new body occupying her bed.

"Sani …" she breathed with a moan. Her arms wound themselves around her husband's without awakening from her medicine-induced sleep.

A gentle smile graced the face of the hardened warrior. She was tempted to allow her love to remain within the gates of Elysian, but what she had – no, _needed_ to tell her could not wait with the amount of time they've had together.

 _Please let her see things my way for once ..._

Taking in a deep breath, Fighter pressed her lips against the tip of her nose.

"Wake up, Odango. Breakfast is ready, " she cooed to her, watching as the other girl's eyes sprung open.

"'Breakfast'?" Serenity murmured sleepily. Drool was evident at the corner of her mouth as she began to stir from her sleep.

"Yes, breakfast. I even made you some Danishes, " Fighter continued tenderly, hating herself for doing this to her wife but it was the only way to coax her awake.

 _I need to tell her everything before everything falls apart again._

Serenity, as the dark-haired woman predicted of her wife, instantly perked up at the mention of her favorite treat.

"Yes! Did you remember to add lots of custard this time? You did promise to do that the last time we've had breakfast together and - , " she rambled on in excitement, but was cut off by Fighter's hand to her mouth. Her eyes glittered with the glee of a puppy receiving a treat.

Fighter could feel her heart break at the sight of pure happiness on Serenity's face, already predicting the pain her news will cause the golden beauty.

"Odango, you must lower your voice. We are still at your cottage with your sister, " she told her evenly. Her eyes scanned Serenity's face, watching as some of the radiance in it paled at the sudden reality check.

"Oh … I'm sorry … I forgot for a moment …" she mumbled against her hand, a blush tinting her cheeks. Her eyes averted away from her husband's in shame. Her teeth gnawed at her lower lip.

Fighter's heart melted at the sight before her. Her hand moved down to tilt the blonde woman's face up to face hers.

"It's okay. You're still very much ill so you're not thinking clearly, " she whispered endearingly to her, taking a moment to place a kiss atop the crown of her head.

Serenity sighed dreamily. "I wish that we were at our place alone. Away from everyone, away from the rules, away from our duties … Just us and our love."

"So do I …. You just don't know how much …." Fighter agreed, mumbling the last bit into Serenity's golden locks. Her arms tightened around the frail body cradled inside of them.

Azure blue eyes gazed up into midnight ones, a twinkle dancing inside of them. "But at least you're here to take care of me. I love Evey to death, but she's suffocating me!" she whined with a pout.

Fighter cracked a smile at that, giggling. "She's your sister. She's meant to be overbearing, Light."

"Yes, but I don't like how she keeps babying me!" Serenity huffed, full-on pouting now.

The dark-haired woman laughed quietly at her lover's cute display. A teasing comment on her lips, but it died when an ice cold cup of water was doused onto her in the form of her thoughts.

 _Stop putting it off, Saniya! You've gotta tell her_ _ **now**_ _! It'll only hurt her more if she hears it the day_ _ **of**_ _your departure! So_ _ **tell her!**_

Fighter bit her bottom lip. Her moment of bliss permanently ripped away from her for the evening with the news weighing heavily on her conscience.

Serenity, noticing the change in her lover, frowned. Her hands came up to cup the starlight leader's face, shifting it down to hers.

"What's wrong, Saniya? Did something happen to you earlier?" she asked, her eyes tracing every feature of Fighter's face.

Tongue coming out to lather her bottom lip nervously, Fighter placed her hands on top of her love's smaller ones. Her eyes looked everywhere but at Serenity.

"Saniya, if it has to do with any receding guilt that you have from whatever happened during your mission – you don't have to hide it from me. It's natural that you feel bad for … " the blonde bride trailed off for a moment to bite at her own lower lip before continuing, "Taking a few lives for the sake of your mission, even if I don't like it. I could never see you as monster. You'll always be my Saniya, my shooting star."

The dark-haired woman was tempted to crack a smile at Serenity's declaration, but with the words plaguing her mind at that moment – she couldn't find it within herself to.

Shaking her head, she sighed. "Sere, I appreciate that you feel that way but that wasn't what I wanted to discuss with you."

The frown on Serenity's face deepened as she propped herself up to lean over her spouse. "If not that, then what is it?"

"I have to leave again."

 _There, it's out now._

The frown melted away into a look of shock. Topaz-like eyes peered up at Fighter in disbelief, widening to the size of saucers.

"What do you mean 'leave'?" Serenity sputtered out. Her eyes pleaded with the warrior, hoping against hope that all of this was some kind of sick joke and not reality.

However, her heart sank when the look of sorrow inside Fighter's eyes spoke volumes before the bluenette opened her mouth to confirm her deepest fear.

"As in they're sending Healer, Maker, and myself away on another mission and we don't know for how long this time, " she breathed, averting her eyes from the heartbroken look upon her angel's face.

"But you just returned!" Serenity nearly cried out loud if it weren't for the silent reminder of her sister's presence in another part of the cottage.

Fighter bit her lip. Her heart sunk at hearing the outright pain in Serenity's voice with her small exclamation.

 _I knew that she wouldn't take it well. I_ _ **knew**_ _it, but …_

Eyes hardening, the bluenette brought her gaze up to meet Serenity's tearful ones; her resolve hardened with determination for her next few words.

"But, I wouldn't have to go …"

Serenity sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "You wouldn't?"

Fighter cupped the blonde beauty's face within her hands. "No, I wouldn't have to leave you if you were to just ask me to clip my wings for you. I'd do it in a heartbeat and you know it, " she swore, her eyes peering into her love's tear-filled ones as they widened in horror at her words.

Wrenching herself away from the dark-haired warrior's grasp, Serenity shook her head. "No! I won't allow that! You've worked so hard to be a senshi. I could never ask you to let go of something that you love so much! It's your _life!"_ she exclaimed, her voice barely staying below a whisper with how much she just wanted to scream and shriek at the top of her lungs how wrong it was for Fighter to suggest such a thing again.

Narrowing her eyes sharply, Fighter tugged her hysterical wife into her arms. "You are entirely wrong about that, Odango. _You_ are my life, _not_ my duty. _You_ are the reason I breathe, _not_ my henshin or whatever. Hell, if they were to ever make me choose between my henshin and you – I'll _always_ choose _you_. _You_ and nothing else …"

More sniffling and sobbing. "You c-c-can't me-mean that, Sani …"

"But I do mean it, and I will give up my powers if it means having a life with you, " Fighter whispered, brushing away the shorter girl's tears. Her lips grazed tenderly against her forehead in a ghost of a kiss.

"I can't … I won't …" chanted a distressed Serenity, shaking her head. Her body quivered within Fighter's arms.

"But, Odango ..." started Fighter, but stopped herself when she felt the intense amount of heat radiating off of her wife. A pale blue glow surrounded her for a moment before her civil form took the place of her senshi one. Her hand came up to touch Serenity's forehead, causing her eyes to widen in horror.

 _She's burning up!_

Pulling away to scamper off the bed to retrieve any means to help her love cool down, Saniya rushed over to the basin on the other side of the room. She took a moment to test its temperature before being satisfied with its coolness.

Her hand clinched onto the rag while her free one grasped the pale pink tonic. Her feet hastened back over to Serenity's side, placing the rag upon her forehead.

"Shhh, Light. It's okay. I'm right here, " she cooed down to her, lying back down beside her. Taking a moment to take a swig from the bottle, she pressed her lips against Serenity's.

Serenity opened her mouth and swallowed the tonic. Her sobbing ceased to small whimpers as she burrowed herself into Saniya's embrace.

"Please, don't leave me again …" she whimpered into her chest. Her consciousness slowly slipping from the tonic.

Saniya stroked her hair with her free hand, using her left one to dab the cool rag against her forehead.

"I won't. I promise you that I won't. Just get some rest, OK? I'll be right here with you in the morning, " she whispered, peppering her face with kisses.

"You promise?" breathed Serenity, peering up at her through heavy-lidded eyes. Her breathing started to deepen slowly as she started to drift back into Elysian.

The dark-haired woman cracked a gentle smile. "Yes, I do promise."

A smile spread on Serenity's face. Her eyes slid closed as her battle for consciousness became hopeless. "I … love … you …"

"I love you too. I truly do with all my heart and soul, " Saniya replied, watching with pure love as she slept. She could feel herself slowly easing into the throes of sleep, but continued with her ministrations.

"I'll always love you, even if I were to lose my glow. You are the light of my life …" were her last spoken words for that night, hanging onto her consciousness for a few more minutes before she fell victim to sleep as well.

However, the two lovers were both unaware of the slight crack that soon closed as a certain seamstress padded away with many questions on her mind.


	9. Dear Luna (5)

Dear Luna,

I can't believe it! I can't believe that they're taking her from me again! My Saniya; my star …

I don't know what to do! I don't want her to leave me again, even though it's part of her duty – I don't want her to leave! And I can see it in her eyes that she doesn't want to either, but I can also see the inner turmoil inside of her – the storm awaiting its chance to consume her from within. She wants so badly to be with me and love me in peace but her head refuses to let go of her sense of duty and I just can't blame her for that.

However, why do I feel so torn right now when she's offering to defy her orders and stay here with me? Is it the illness, or is it guilt? Am I really willing to lose her again with the chance of actually losing her this time, or shall I allow her to whisk us away to live a normal life filled with our love and sunshine?

Oh, Selene! I'm at a lost right now. Please help me!

Serenity


End file.
